Cases of those who contracted Malta fever (Brucellosis) increased by 55 percent in the last four years, director of the Health Ministry’s Zoonoses Department said.

Mohammad Reza Shirzadi made the statement in the first regional meeting on Malta fever held in Khorramabad, Lorestan province, with the representatives of 12 provinces, adding that it is a bacterial zoonotic infectious disease threatening human health.

Shirzadi added that the country needs extensive and effective actions for the prevention and control of Brucellosis.

Based on some studies, since the disease is transmitted by ingestion of raw milk and dairy products from infected animals, infected individuals must have no contact with the said products or any rural environments.

“The disease showed a declining trend in urban areas during 2005-10,” he said.

“Some 26,000 individuals contracted brucellosis in 2005, which reduced to 12,200 in 2010,” he said, regretting that the figure increased in 2013 to 19,092 individuals.

In the last four years, the provinces of Lorestan, Kurdestan, Hamedan, West Azarbaijan and Qazvin witnessed a rise in the number of infected individuals by 93, 166, 128, 83 and 82 percent, respectively.

Lack of facilities and capabilities to control Malta fever in animals, consumption of non-pasteurized dairy products and lack of knowledge are the main factors behind the high incidence of the disease.